Heaven Hill 6 year old, Green Label

February 16, 2017 Eric Burke

It was about two and a half years ago that I first became aware of the Heaven Hill brand of bourbons as they stand today.

Well, that's not exactly accurate. On my very first trip to Kentucky, I had a miniature bottle of Heaven Hill Bonded (White Label) that came with the glass I purchased at their gift shop. I thought it was good, but I didn't have much to compare it to yet. Oh, and I used to occasionally buy the Gold Label Bonded when it was still available locally. But after that went away, I pretty much stopped thinking about the Heaven Hill brand.

Until about two and a half years ago, that is. I was putting together the beginnings of the idea that would blossom into the "If You've Had..." series of posts when I happened upon Heaven Hill Bonded (White Label). I was planning to do a post comparing all of Heaven Hill's bonded bourbons and picked it up. Somewhere between the time I bought it and the time I decided to review it, Fred Minnick had decided to give the green label version some good publicity.

And that brings me to my last trip to Kentucky. If you followed me on Instagram about that time, you might have seen a cart filled with a combination of White Label and Green Label bottles. Filled because I loved the white label for the price. But since Fred recommended the Green, I grabbed a few of those too.

But now I'm down to my last bottle. I've been saving it to do another installment of "If You've Had..." this time on just the three Heaven Hill Branded Bourbons (look for that next week) and I realized I'd never reviewed this formally. So now...this.

Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old, Green Label

Purchase Info: $9.49 for a 750 mL bottle at the Party Source, Bellevue, KY (September 2016).

Details: 6 years old. 45% ABV

Nose: Leather notes combine with mint, brown sugar and hints of ripe fruit.

Mouth: Sweet with a peppery heat. Brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mint.

Finish: Long and lingering. Sweet, but after a moment bitter dark chocolate notes appear.

Thoughts: This is a very tasty bourbon. There's enough heat and complexity to keep you interested, but not so much it'll distract you from other things that might need your attention (like writing this post, for instance). It's good enough to drink neat in a pinch but is sufficiently inexpensive that you can use it in a cocktail without hesitation. This is a very versatile bourbon that is easy to recommend for the price. Think of it as the slightly lower proof Heaven Hill version of Wild Turkey 101. About the same age with all that brings to the table.

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1792 High Rye and a Look at Whiskey Geeks

February 14, 2017 Eric Burke

Last week I asked a question that I thought was just going to be a bit of fun. The premise was that Whiskey Geeks complain. It's what we do. As a friend of mine once said while giving a bourbon talk, "we're a bitchy lot."

And it's true. We whiskey geeks are a passionate, opinionated people. If you ask a whiskey "expert" how you should take your bourbon, the answer will range from "drink it any damn way you want," to "no, here's the type of glass you should use and the setting you should be in." And that's just if the topic is ice. If you ask them about soda...Well, let's just say I almost had a bartender in Louisville start to tear up as he recounted a customer asking for a Pappy and Coke.

About the only topic that causes as much consternation is flippers. Geeks bitch about flippers. They bitch constantly and conspicuously. Partly it's because flippers contribute to a market where those who wants to drink a whiskey can no longer find it through legal channels or for anywhere near MSRP. Partly it's because a good portion of those people conspicuously bitching are just over-compensating for their own flipping.

So that's where things sat when I asked which people would rather see. I thought it would be a little fun, a few people would vote, and we'd get some laughs. What I didn't expect was to have to turn off comments on the post. I didn't expect every comment that came in to be an attack on those people participating. I saw "mouth-breathers." I saw "big-brother." I saw "Marxist." Eventually, I had enough and made one scolding comment and shut the rest off. The idea of whiskey geeks being whiskey geeks seemed to have touched a nerve.

One thing I never did was answer the question myself. And for me, the answer is easy. I'd much rather see someone truly enjoy a Pappy with Coke than see someone keep another from enjoying a bottle by flipping it. And it seems that most of you agreed with me. As of this writing, 73% of respondents voted the same way. 11% hated polls and thought that voting was stupid. Leaving only 17% of people who'd rather the price of a particular bottle get jacked through the roof than see it wasted with soda. For the record, there is no right answer...which is what makes it so much fun to argue about it.

So that's a recap. But let's turn away from what other people do with a limited edition whiskey and turn our thoughts to what we'd all like to do with one. Drink it. Tonight it's Valentine's Day, so it is appropriate that we are celebrating with one that my wife loves.

1792 High Rye

Purchase Info: 49.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN

Details: 47.15% ABV. According to the company's website. This uses "a much higher percentage of rye as the secondary grain than most bourbons do."

Nose: Butterscotch, custard, cinnamon, mint and a pleasant nuttiness.

Mouth: Sweet and spicy with allspice, butterscotch and hints of mint and banana.

Finish: On the longer side of medium, with very little burn. Lingering mint and banana.

Thoughts: Like I said above, my wife loves this. She put a little heart as her rating in her tasting journal. Me? I like this a lot, but I'm not quite ready to give it a heart just yet. It's very close, though.

As I was finishing the tasting, thoughts of banana bread popped into my head. This is sweet with baking spices and hints of banana, so that isn't an outrageous comparison. And personally I love banana bread, so this is a compliment. I do know that some people react negatively to banana notes in their bourbon so be aware.

Like I said, for $50, I think this is a great whiskey and worth the price they are getting for it. I'd feel differently if they were asking $75 for it, though.

For the record, comments are off on this one too. Mostly because it's the same topic and I hate getting the emails that are full of spite and hatred. It's a bit of a gut-punch to an otherwise nice day. It's whiskey...it's not worth all the anger.

A Question for You and a review of Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Brandy Cask Finish

February 9, 2017 Eric Burke

I had to work late tonight. Worked up twelve logos for a heating and air conditioning contractor. Of those 12 I like 10 or 11 so I'm actually doing pretty good on the project. I only have to come up with a few more before I deliver concepts. But my brain is completely fried right now.

Added to that is the fact that tonight I'm reviewing a whiskey from a series that is usually regarded as being more interesting to taste than actually good to drink. And since I've talked about what the purpose of the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection is trying to accomplish, I'm going to take a hard left turn before we jump into the review.

Speaking of limited edition whiskey, I have a question for you. And I'm going to do my best to not lead you by giving any indication as to what my feelings on the matter are.

Would you rather see:

A) A person with more money than sense enjoy a limited, expensive and really tasty whiskey mixed with soda.

or:

B) A person run into a liquor store, snag a limited, expensive and really tasty whiskey, and then post it online from the car to flip it before even leaving the parking lot?

And now on to the review.

Woodford Reserve Master's Collection, Brandy Cask Finish

Purchase Info: $76.99 for a 750 mL bottle at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN.

Details: 45.2% ABV

Nose: Ripe fruit and caramel jump out in front to be followed by a nice nuttiness.

Mouth: The mouth shows a lot of influence from the brandy. Very fruity with caramel and baking spices.

Finish: Short but flavorful with lingering caramel.

Thoughts: First let's get this out of the way. I'm ok with this one. It isn't a world-beater, but it isn't bad either. It tastes a lot like they dumped some brandy in some Old Forester. But since I have done exactly that on occasion, I can hardly find fault with the idea. No, in this case, it all comes down to price. I can make something that tastes as good if not better with a bottle of Korbel 12 and a bottle of Old Forester Signature. It'll cost less, I can blend it to my tastes and I have the option of having a brandy, a bourbon or a combination of them. I'm finding it really hard to recommend unless you really like exploring the Master's Collection or really like brandy finished bourbons.

The best laid plans...Streaming TV and an Elijah Craig Private Selection

February 7, 2017 Eric Burke

So...as of today, I'm officially a cord cutter. Last night at 11:59 pm, my DirecTV service was canceled. Not a big deal. Football season is over, and most of the shows we are watching right now are on hiatus or available over the air for free. We talked about it last weekend. To us, it seemed the perfect time to figure out what we will want when we need it.

Between Netflix, Amazon, and DirecTV I paid somewhere between $180 and $200 for video content (depending on how much of the Prime subscription I allocate to video and if I count taxes and fees). I knew I wanted to drop that $180 per month down below $100 for sure and even below $50 if I could. So, the services we wanted to try identified, we called and canceled.

Whoa. It's like a weight lifting off of your shoulders. Until we realized that there was one thing that we didn't plan for. The streaming device. We have an older AppleTV and an XBox One. It seems that neither of these will support most of what we want to try. The older AppleTV supports Hulu only (though a new one does Playstation Vue and SlingTV, though not Amazon). The Xbox does Amazon, Hulu, and SlingTV, but not Playstation Vue (for fairly obvious reasons). The Roku does everything but Apple stuff and I live in an Apple universe normally...

Ugh, so it seems I'll have to buy something and that nothing does everything we want. In other words, we had a plan, but it didn't account for one very major part of the equation. And we jumped in without thinking it all the way through.

Which, of course, reminds me of the whiskey I'm drinking tonight. I first bought this a few weeks ago and planned to review it. I didn't plan for one very important thing, though. It's really dang good, so good that I realized about the time that the bottle was empty that I had never reviewed it. Luckily, unlike my technology and entertainment problems, this one was easily solved by just going back to the store and picking up a couple more bottles.

Elijah Craig Small Batch, Single Barrel Selection by Ace Spirits

Purchase Info: $19.98 for a 750 mL bottle at Ace Spirits, Hopkins, MN.

Details: 9-year-old Single Barrel Selection. 47% ABV.

Nose: Caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg and oak.

Mouth: Cinnamon and nutmeg combine to provide a nice tingle on the tip and sides of the tongue. Brown sugar sweetness and oak follow.

Finish: Long and warm with lingering baking spices.

Thoughts: At nine years old, this single barrel pick provides a nice call back to what made the 12-year old a fan favorite before the age statement was dropped. It's not as hot, but is every bit as complex as the 12. I like this one quite a bit. If you see a store pick of this, think about giving it a try.

UPDATE: I initially mistyped the price, listing it as $19.99 instead of $19.98. Thanks to Dan who caught that.

Old Forester 1920 - Prohibition Style

February 2, 2017 Eric Burke

As I write this, it's Groundhog Day. And whether you are sick of what the government is doing or just sick of everyone complaining about it, I think it is safe to say that we are all starting to feel a little like Bill Murry in the film of the same name. Every day it's the same damn stuff.

That's about as political as I will get right now, but I think it's safe to say that we could all use a drink and that turning our gaze back in time wouldn't be out of the question either.

Enter Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon. 1920 is the latest expression in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series. As with the previous releases, it is formulated to be, at least a bit, like the bourbons that would have been available in the year it's named after.

In this case, it is proofed to 115 proof, a typical Old Forester barrel strength of the time. Now, you wouldn't have been able to get bourbon at that proof if you were just Joe Nobody on the street, but if you knew someone who knew someone, you might be able to get your hands on a little straight-from-the-barrel bourbon. And if that somebody knew somebody at Old Forester, it might have been just about this proof.

So as we turn our gaze back to what is in our glass today, how is it?

Old Forester 1920 - Prohibition Style

Purchase info: $53.99 for a 750 mL at Total Wine, Burnsville, MN

Details: 57.5% ABV

Nose: Fruit, leather, brown sugar oak and a light mintiness.

Mouth: Sweet honey, mint, oak, black pepper, baking spices, bubblegum, and leather.

Finish: Spicy, long and warm with lingering bubblegum, fruit, and baking spices.

Thoughts: I think that this is probably the best bourbon Brown-Forman produces. And easily was one of my favorite releases of 2016. It is an amazingly well-balanced bourbon, and I can find no faults with it. I love this. I think it is nearly perfect. It has everything I want in a bourbon: sweetness, richness, and spiciness. Plus it is very drinkable neat even at 115 proof...well maybe that is a fault. I'm kidding, but only a little.

WIN a signed copy of "Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth of an American Whiskey" by Fred Minnick

January 31, 2017 Eric Burke

Last night I attended a fun event at a local independent bookstore. Magers & Quinn Booksellers was hosting Fred Minnick for a presentation on his most recent book Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth of an American Whiskey. I'd already purchased my copy of the book obviously, but Fred is my friend and I like to see him every opportunity that I can.

During the presentation, Fred talked about the book, gave a brief history of bourbon and answered questions from the audience. It was a nice night. I met a couple of new friends during the event and chatted with a couple of old friends. And then, overcome with the desire to support both my friend and a local, independent bookstore, I purchased another copy of Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, And Rebirth of an American Whiskey. I had Fred sign the book because I thought it might be a nice thing to give away to a lucky reader. So that's what I'm doing.

You can enter the giveaway using the form below. There will be one winner chosen. All I’m asking in return is that you answer a simple question. The answer will help inform future blog posts. You can also get bonus entries through the form by following me on twitter or visiting the BourbonGuy Gifts facebook page (every view, like or share helps support the blog).

And Good Luck! You have until Tuesday, February* 7th to enter (you need to "log-in" so I can receive your email address to notify you if you win).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Originally I forgot what month I was in. This bit of text originally said January and has been corrected to February. -Eric

What I Drink When I'm Not Drinking

January 24, 2017 Eric Burke

coffee beans in a coupe glass, herbal teas and cocktail bitters

It's my turn to be sick this week. Luckily I tend to write tasting notes well in advance of actually needing them for a blog post. But the fact that I haven't had any whiskey for a while gave me an idea for a post.

Relative to the general population, I drink a lot of whiskey. I don't think this is a shocking revelation. I've been pumping out two reviews a week for the last few years. Right there I have the makings of a habit that might make my doctor take a second look. And if you are connected to me on Untappd you'll have noticed that I tend to quite like whiskey's younger brother beer as well.

But contrary to the previous statements, I am not constantly drinking alcohol. By volume and frequency, most of the liquid refreshment that I consume has little to no alcohol in it at all.

I know. Shocking. Right?

So I thought tonight I might share with you the things that are in my glass most of the time. One thing you won't find on this list is soda. If I had written it back when I started drinking whiskey, it would have been the number one thing on the list. But I've noticed that as my fondness for whiskey has increased, my fondness for sodas has decreased along with it. Every couple months or so, I'll still grab a ginger ale. But for the most part, I can't do it anymore. Too sweet and too syrupy. I think that, for me, developing a palate that enjoys whiskey has had an impact on the other things I like as well.

COFFEE: If you see me before noon, there is a good chance that there will be coffee in my hand. Black, rich, and strong. And not just whatever from the gas station, either. Good coffee from good roasters. I prefer a medium roast, but not one that is bright and citrusy. If I had to give up all but one non-water drink, I'd keep coffee over everything.

HERBAL TEA: Yes, I know there is no tea in herbal tea. But it sounds better than "damp flowers and leaves soaked in hot water for a while." I have my own blend that I like to make myself from varieties you can find at almost any store. I like an equal mixture of chamomile, peppermint, and ginger.

WATER: Of course, I drink water just like everyone else. If I didn't, I'd be dead. I go through most of my life trying to avoid becoming dead so it would be silly to not drink water.

BITTERS & FIZZY WATER: This is what is in my glass most of the time. And what has lead to the virtual elimination of soda from my diet. I got a SodaStream a few years ago, and at first, I used it to make their dumb sodas. And then I gave up on it thinking it was a pile of plastic that did nothing for me. After a while I started using it to carbonate water for cocktails that needed it and gradually, I started leaving out the alcohol when I did that. These days I have an ever expanding collection of bitters, but I use one or two in cocktails. The rest get dispensed two or three shakes at a time into a big glass of carbonated water. It gives me the carbonation and some flavor like I used to get from soda, but without all the nasty sweetness (and calories). My favorite is just my homemade orange bitters. Nice and bitter, but with just a hint of orange. Though depending on the mood, I'll use aromatic (Angostura or similar), cranberry, lemon, peach, rhubarb, or Paychaud's instead.

So that's me. You might have noticed that with each of these there is a hint of the geek about me. That thing that I do with whiskey where I taste it and think about it is present in almost everything that I consume whether it is coffee or beer, tea or fizzy water. I tend to mix, blend or find others who have done a good job of it for me. It's just a part of what makes me who I am.

But what do you drink when you aren't drinking? Let me know in the comments. I'm genuinely curious.

What to try when you haven't tried much yet.

January 19, 2017 Eric Burke

It's not unusual for people to send me an email me with questions about how they can get started on their bourbon journey. Often, they've dabbled, but are looking to get more serious.

With Bourbon, there are a surprisingly significant number of flavor profiles on the shelf. It's weird. Almost all bourbon is made with the same three or four ingredients: corn, barley, and rye or wheat. And yet, the flavors produced range from floral and fruity to spicy and dry with an entire library of flavors in between.

I'd say that the quickest way to find out what you like is to try different things. But don't jump straight to the top shelf and only buy barrel-strength bourbons with age statements in the double digits. Don't get me wrong. These are probably very fine bourbons. But I wouldn't start there. First, they are expensive. And if the goal is to try as many as you can, it is helpful if you don't have to miss a mortgage payment to do so. Secondly, if you were to take a big swig of George T Stagg unknowingly, you are probably going to sputter and choke and possibly decide that bourbon is not for you.

So, what to do? Well since bourbon has so many flavor profiles, I think that the best idea is to run to the store or your local bar and try some of the delicious, yet affordable offerings out there that show off these distinct flavor profiles. And yes, I've compiled you a shopping list.

Maker's Mark

Due to being owned by one of the largest bourbon producers in the country, this red-headed darling is available at almost every liquor store and bar you'll come across. Made with wheat as its flavoring grain, Maker's Mark is a sweet and soft bourbon. It shows caramel, custard, fruit, and baking spice. It's inexpensive, ubiquitous, and very tasty. This is a great bourbon for trying to decide if you like sweeter bourbon flavors.

1792 Small Batch Bourbon

Produced by the Barton 1792 distillery in Bardstown, KY, this bourbon is a great example of a dry bourbon. Dry bourbon is a little different than dry wine, but it follows some of the same ideas. Namely, that sweetness is not the major flavor component. All bourbon is sweet, to an extent, but I find this bourbon brings a lot more peppery heat to the party. It feels like it evaporates in the back of your throat. This is a good one to see if you like drier bourbons and peppery spiciness.

Buffalo Trace

When speaking of bourbon, spice can mean two different things. It can mean spicy like the heat of a red pepper or it can mean spicy like the ground spices you put in cookies. In the case of Buffalo Trace, we are talking about the latter. Buffalo Trace bourbon leads with cinnamon and nutmeg flavors before adding in maple and custard flavors. Buffalo Trace is the perfect bourbon to see if you like bourbons that feature baking spice as their main flavor component.

Four Roses Small Batch

Most of the time, floral flavors are a by-product of the yeast used for fermentation. Along with carbon dioxide and ethanol, these little guys create flavor compounds that, if treated nicely, survive through distillation and maturation. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon is a perfect example of a floral bourbon. Floral and fruity notes start at the nose, mix with sweetness and spice in the mouth and hang around into the finish. If you want to know if you like floral and fruity bourbons, try Four Roses Small Batch.

Wild Turkey 101

At six to eight years old, Wild Turkey 101 is a good example of what some extra time spent in the barrel can bring you. It is filled with the flavors of sweet caramel, ginger, and oak. Think you don't like the taste of oak? Remember that 100 percent of the color and more than 50 percent of the flavor of a bourbon come from the oak barrel it is stored in. Wild Turkey is a complex, yet inexpensive bourbon, and it is a good choice to see if you like oakier bourbons.

So there you have it. Five bourbons to get you on your way. After you identify what you like and what you don't like about each bourbon, then you can start expanding your horizons. And of course, it goes without saying that you should be taking notes along the way. After you've been at it for a while go back and revisit some of the ones you tried early on to see how your palate has changed. I think you'll be surprised to find out that you now like some of the ones you didn't previously or that you don't care for some of those you thought were favorites.

And here's the sales pitch. Are you looking for a journal to take your notes in? Well, at BourbonGuyGifts.com I offer hand produced bourbon tasting journals for a reasonable price. Of course, I offer many other hand-crafted items for sale as well.

Blog

Heaven Hill 6-Year-Old, Green Label

1792 High Rye

Would you rather see:

Woodford Reserve Master's Collection, Brandy Cask Finish

Elijah Craig Small Batch, Single Barrel Selection by Ace Spirits

Old Forester 1920 - Prohibition Style

Maker's Mark

1792 Small Batch Bourbon

Buffalo Trace

Four Roses Small Batch

Wild Turkey 101